Life is good.
Not perfect, but good.
Last Thursday I had minor surgery for a small benign cyst in my right hand (I'd had the cyst for years, but it had recently begun to get bigger and slightly painful). Not a lot of people knew I was planning it (despite the numerous facebook updates!) and were shocked to see me later in the week with a heavily wrapped hand. When asked, I told them that Ross bit me. The best part was that some people believed me.
I couldn't possibly have timed by surgery better, though. This past weekend, my baby sister came home from college (and a fascinating missions trip to the Philippines) and I got to spend some quality time with her. I learned that, in the Philippines, children pee on their siblings, toads never die, and that white people are magical. Now, that's according to Jules, of course, so there may be a tiny bit of room for error. But I'm pretty sure it's the gospel truth.
On a more serious note about her trip, Jules went with a Christian organization from her college, The University of Wyoming (I have a bumper sticker!) and spent nearly two weeks on the islands. This wonderful group of young people dug a well for a village that had been drinking dirty water, painted rooms in an orphanage, provided treats and clothing to children with none, presented a VBS for little ones, and shared the love of Christ with the forgotten. It's not a coincidence that Julia left the States on Mothers' Day. Although she didn't get to spend the day with her mom, she did give her a wonderful gift: she went out into the world and acted on all the wonderful things her mom had spent years teaching her.
I am very, very proud of my baby sister.
On Sunday, my church threw a going-away party for our beloved flautist, Helen Kim, who is headed to NYC for her Masters degree in Early Childhood Education. We will miss her so much. Like her (now) fiance Aaron Perdue before her, Helen has charmed all of us with her sweet, humble nature and sincere love for Jesus. Both Aaron and Helen have made lasting impressions on us with their musical talents and wonderful personalities. It's selfish, we admit, but we all truly hope that God's ultimate plan for their lives brings them back to make their home in Pittsburgh. But if that never happens, we know they'll always be a part of our family.
After Helen's party, Ross and I - and Jules, MomDee, Kaitlynn, Pastor Steph, Colleen and Kathryn - went to see Shrek: Forever After. The following is a movie review (without spoilers), so if you haven't seen the movie yet (and you want to), you'd best stop here!
I liked it.
While it wasn't as innovative, clever or funny as either of the first two (or as dramatic as the third), it touched on some really important life lessons that most Disney movies tend to avoid. For example: what happens after 'happily ever after'? What do we do when we have everything we want, but are still unhappy? While we often credit Disney for introducing the feisty, independent heroines who refused to be 'damsels in distress' (Jasmine from Aladdin is a great example), we forget that these princesses, too, are falling head-over-heels at age 16, running away from home, etc., and not presenting us real pictures of "true love". Granted, big neon green ogres may also seem a little unrealistic, but they're easier to relate to than singing mermaids, sleeping princesses, and dwarf-hounded maidens. Here we have an irritable protagonist with friends he doesn't always appreciate; a young woman who, while strong-willed, still dreams of true love and struggles to see herself as beautiful; unlikely courtships, pride and vanity, deception, and the answer to the questions asked earlier...
What happens after 'happily ever after' is that Prince and Princess learn to live together. They fight, they love, they have children, they laugh, they are disappointed, they develop a routine, they forget to appreciate each other, they take each other for granted, they hurt each other, they forgive, they better reflect "real life" than most movies reveal.
What I liked, too, was the way the movie series presented the relationship between Shrek and Fiona. They had their share of disagreements (often caused by pride or miscommunication) but they were also shown as loving: kissing, hugging and touching each other often. While that may not be normal for ogres, I thought it was a great and subtle reminder of something we humans need for a healthy relationship: connection and compassion. And, yes, the physical expression of those things.
Maybe I'm partial to the Shrek movies because, of all the film heroines I've ever encountered, my figure and personality most closely resemble Fiona's - as an ogress, of course. Maybe I like them because Ross does a pretty darn good impersonation of most of the characters (including a particularly irritating version of Donkey). Maybe it's simply because I have always appreciated a very clever, twisted take on favorite fairy tales. Maybe it's because I secretly like rooting for the underdog. Whatever the reason, I'm sure that this series will have a respected place in our DVD collection for years to come.
And, yes, I have asked Ross to take me to see Shrek: The Musical next March. His reply is still pending.
I'll keep you updated, rest assured.
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